Jet-propelled toy



March 5, 1963 A. K. MELIN 3,079,727

JET-PROPELLED TOY Filed June 1, 1962 llnited rates flat ens fornia Filed June 1, 1962, er. No. 199,334 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-41) This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a captive jet-propelled toy.

Toys have heretofore been propelled by use of jets of fluid directed therefrom, such as airplanes, boats, and the like. However, such toys have genreally been intended to simulate the motion of the object of which they are a model, and have therefore been directed in confined patterns, general-1y a regular circular pattern. Where such toys have been tethered by a hose supplying water under pressure as the source of jet power, only a regular circular pattern as the hose rotates about a swivel base has heretofore been employed. Toys employing water under pressure as the source of jet power have been unable to deviate from such regular rotation except by use of manually-operated external tethering devices such as strings, wires, and like.

This invention provides a random-motion toy adapted to provide enjoyment due to its own peculiar motions, rather than the simulation of the motion of some reallife obejct. Such random motion is attained without the use of an external tether other than the hose supplying the fluid under pressure to be used as the source of jet power, and requires no manual control over its motion.

Briefly, this invention provides an elongated flexible hose coupled at one end to a source of fluid under pressure and joined at its other end to fluid discharge means. The hose, although flexible, is made from a material resilient to longitudinal twisting, and is non-rotatably joined to the fluid discharge means. The fluid discharge means receives the fluid from the hose and defines an orifice for discharging a jet of the fluid at a substantially high velocity to create an opposite resultant force for jetpropelling the fluid discharge means. The orifice is ar ranged to discharge the jet of fluid along a jet direction line which is non-parallel to, and non-intersecting with, a reference line defined by the center of the end of the hose adjacent the fluid discharge means and a projection of the central axis of the adjacent portion of the hose when such adjacent portion of the hose is straight. The direction of fluid travel along the jet direction line is arranged to be generally downwardly when the reference line is vertical and the hose is extending downwardly from the fluid discharge means, so that the jet-propelling force will propel the fluid discharge means generally upwardly. A cap, which may be in any desired toy shape, is carried by the fluid discharge means.

In operation, the source of fluid under pressure may be an ordinary garden hose connected to the household water supply. The arrangement of the jet direction line causes a plurality of vectors of force to inter-react to guide the path of movement of the toy. The upward vector resulting from the downward direction of the jet propels the toy into the air while the lateral vector resulting from the non-parallelism of the jet direction line to the reference line propels the toy in a sideways direction, while the skew nature of the jet direction line, non-intersecting the reference line, causes a tendency toward spiraling the fluid discharge means about the jet direction line. These forces are opposed by a plurality of other forces: the force of gravity tends always to pull the toy downwardly, the inertia and weight of the hose causes a downward pull along the reference line, and the non-rotatable attachice ment of the fluid discharge means to the hose, which is resilie'nt to the resultant twisting caused by the spiraling forces, results in an increasing opposition by the hose to the spiraling forces. The result is a path of movement of the fluid discharge means and cap carried thereby into the air in a series of spiraling gyrations which in random fashion carry the toy sideways, toward the ground, and back into the air again.

This invention will be more clearly understood with reference to the following description and the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-section View of a jet-propelled toy according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the fluid discharge means illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross section view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which a coupling 10 is connected to a source of fluid under pressure (not shown), such as an ordinary garden hose. A flexible hose 11 is attached at one end, indicated generally at 12, to the coupling 10. The coupling 10 and hose 11 are joined together in this embodiment in the manner in which a conventional garden hose is joined to its couplings, so that when the coupling 10 is connected to the source of fluid under pressure, the hose 11 is substantially non-rotatable thercabout. It should be understood that the source of fluid under pressure may itself be rotatable, however, as for example a swivel base. The hose 1]. is made from a material which is resilient to longitudinal twisting, that is, when twisted it exerts a force tending to return itself to its untwisted state.

The hose 11 may be of any desired length, and in the preferred form is at least eight feet in length. The other end, indicated generally at 13, of the hose 11 is joined by any suitable clamping means 14 to a rigid tube forming a conduit 15, which constitutes the fluid discharge means. The hose 11 when joined to the rigid tube 15 is nonrotatable thereabout.

In the preferred form, the conduit 15 is hook shaped and includes a shank portion, indicated generally at 16, adjacent the second end 13 of the hose 11, a bend, indicated generally at 17, adjacent the straight portion 16, and a jet forming orifice, indicated generally at 18, which is suflicientl" small in diameter with reference to the pressure of the fluid to discharge a jet of fluid along a line indicated generally at 19, at a substantially high velocity. The path of the jet of fluid may be referred to as jet direction line l9.

The location of the orifice 18 is arranged so that the jet direction line 19 is non-parallel to, and is offset .to be non-intersecting with, a reference line indicated by line xx. The reference line xx is defined by the center of the second end 13 of the hose 11 and a projection of the central axis of the portion of the hose 11 adjacent the second end 13 when such portion is straight. The direction of travel of the fluid along the jet direction line 19 is generally downwardly when the reference line x-x is vertical, as when the hose '11 is extending downwardly from the tube 35.

The relationship of the jet direction line 19 to the reference line x--x may be more clearly understood from the following description with reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention: if a first reference plane including thereon the reference line xx were arranged so that the view of FIG. 1 were a top view thereof, the projection of the jet direction line 19 thereon would be a line inclined toward the reference line xx at an acute means 15 for upward movement again.

s eave? angle. Satisfactory performance is obtained when such projection of jet direction line 19 has a relationship to reference line xx ranging from an inclination of 45 or less toward reference line x-x to an inclination of 45 or less away from reference line xx, although optimum results are obtained Within that range when the projection of jet direction line lfl upon the first reference plane is non-parallel to reference line x-x. If a second reference plane, also including reference line x-x thereon, were disposed perpendicular to the first reference plane, so that FIG. 2 were a top view thereof, the projection of jet direction line 19 thereupon would have substantially the same relationship to reference line xx as did the projection of jet direction 19 upon the first reference plane, as above described. For best results, jet direction line 19 is skewed from the shank, i.e., line x--x, so that there is no common plane including both reference line .xx and jet direction line 1?. It will be apparent that the more nearly jet direction line 19 approaches parallelism with reference line xx, the more upward force will result, and that a. plurality of com- .binations of upward and lateral forces may thus be achieved by adjustment of the extent of downward and lateral direction of the jet of fluid.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,.the shank portion 16 of the rigid tube 15 is disposed along the reference line x-x. It is not necessary that the shank portion 16 of the rigid tube 15 be so disposed, and it may be of anydesired shape, the only requireinent being the arrangement of the orifice 18 .to direct the jet of the fluid along the jet direction line 19 in the relationship as described herein with reference to the reference line x-x.

A cap 21 is attached by any suitable fastening means 20 to the rigid tube 15. The cap 21 may be shaped or formed into any desired toy figure, and as the cap 21 is 'c arriedby the rigid tube 15 along its path of movement, the impression of movement of the toy figure formed by the cap 21 is given. In the preferred'form the rigid tube 15 is concealed bya cup-shaped cap 21 by being disposed atleast partially within the cap 21. The open portion of the'cap 21 provides a' passage for. the jet of fluid 19 and the flexible hose 1-1 extends therefrom.

fluid discharge means 15 has beencarried to the ground and prevents catching on obstructions. Further, it prevents the fluid discharge means 15 from being directly upon the ground, thus permitting rotation into a position so that it'may rise into theair again more easily. The round shape also permits rolling along the ground until a proper position has been reached by the fluid discharge It is apparent that the cap 21 should be made from a light-weight ma- .terial, in order to be easily carried by the fluid discharge means 15, and more active preformance is obtained when the portions of the cap 21 adjacent the open end are flexible and somewhat springy, tending to bounce upon impact with a solid object or the ground. The fluid dis charge means 15 is thereby repositioned constantly in order that the jet direction line 19 is re-directed to permit continued motion.

In order to prevent kinking of the hose 11 adjacent theicouplin'g 10, as the jet-propelled fluid discharge means 15carries the attached hose 11 along its path of movemer t, a sleeve 22 of material more nearly rigid than that of which the hose 1-1 is made may be disposed adjacent the first end '12 of the hose 11. Sleeve'ZZ may also he in the form of a spring or other suitable external supporting means.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the fluid discharge means viewed from the same view as that taken inFlG. -1, wherein a rigid tube forming a conduit 15A includes a shank portion 16A adjacent the hose 11 which bends into a tip portion 17A defining a jet forming orifice.

l- FIG. 3 illustrates a jet direction line directed generally away from the reference line irx rather than generally toward the reference line XX as illustrated in FIG. 1. An end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is the same as the View shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of the in vention, wherein the fluid discharge means and the cap are formed as one integral member, and a cap 21A defines an internal tube section 15B. One'end of the tube section 15B is joined to the hose 11 and the other end defines an orifice 18B to discharge ajet of fluid along a jet direction line 193. The cap 21A may be in any desired toy shape.

Therehas thus been disclosed a novel jet-propelled toy, movable without manual control in a random pattern, and tethered only by the flexible hose which supplies vthe source of fluid under pressurefor jet-propelling the toy.

I claim:

1. A jet-propelled toy, comprising: 7

(a) a coupling adapted to be connected to a source of of fluid underpressure,

(b) an elongated hose connected at one end to the coupling for carrying fiuidunder pressuretherefrom,

(c) thehose being made from a material which is flexible and resilient to longitudinal twisting thereof,

(d) fluid dischargemeans, joined to the other end of the hose and communicating with the interi'or'thereof to receive fluid under pres-sure therefrom, the fluid discharge means and the hose being non-rotatable with reference to one another when joined,

(e) the fluid discharge means defining at least one orifice for discharging a jet of the fluid at a substantially high velocity, in order to create an opposite resultant force for propelling the fluid discharge means along a'path of movement, H p r (f) the movement of the fluid discharge means being tethered by the hose, 7 I a (g) the orifice defined by the fluid discharge means means being arranged to discharge the jet of fluid along a jet direction line, the jet direction line being non-parallel to, and non-intersecting with, a ref erence line defined by the center of the end of the hose adjacent the fluid dischargemeans and a projection of thecentral axis of the adjacent portion of the hose when such adjacentportion ofthe hose is straight, I

(h) the direction of fluid travel along the jet direction line being downwardly when the reference line is vertical and the hose is extending downwardly from the fluid discharge means, so that the opposite resultant force will'propel the fluid discharge means upwardly, v p 7 (i) a cap carried by the fluid discharge means, and

wherein the fluid discharge means comprises:

(i) an elongated rigid tube, p

(k) the elongated rigid tube having' a straight portion connected to the flexible tube and disposed along the reference line,

(I) the elongated rigid tube having a curved portion joined to the straight portion thereof and defining the orifice at the end thereof remote from the straight portion for discharging a jet of the fluid at a substantially high velocity,

(m) the curved portion being shaped to direct the jet of fluid along a jet direction line which is non-parallel to, and also does not intersect, the reference line.

2. A jet-propelled toy according to claim 1 wherein the cap is substantially in the shape of an inverted cup having one open end, and the fluid discharge means is disposed at least partially within the interior of the capwith the hose extending from the open end of the cap.

3. A jet-propelled toy according to claim 1 wherein theicap and the fluid discharge means are formed in tegrally as one member, such member defining the fluid discharge means substantially internally and being nonrotatably connected to the hose.

4. A jet-propelled toy according to claim 1 wherein external support means are disposed around the hose adjacent the coupling to prevent kinking of the hose.

5. A jet-propelled toy, comprising:

(a) a coupling adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure,

(b) an elongated hose connected at one end to the coupling for carrying fluid under pressure therefrom,

(c) the hose being made from a material which is flexible and resilient to longitudinal twisting thereof,

(d) a rigid tube non-rotatably joined to the other end of the hose and communicating with the interior thereof to receive fluid under pressure therefrom,

(e) the rigid tube being susbtantially hook-shaped, having an elongated straight portion adjacent the hose, and having a curved portion adjacent the straight portion defining and orifice at the end thereof remote from the straight portion for discharging a jet of fluid at a substantially high velocity, in order to create an opposite resultant force for propelling the rigid tube along a path of movement,

(f) the movement of the rigid tube being tethered by the hose,

-(g) the orifice being arranged to discharge the jet of fluid along a jet direction line, which line is nonparallel to and does not intersect a reference line defined by the central axis of the straight portion of the rigid tube and projections thereof, the direction of fluid travel along the jet direction line being generally downwardly when the straight portion of the rigid tube is vertical,

(h) a cap attached to the rigid tube, the cap being substantially in the shape of a cup, the curved portion of the rigid tube being disposed at least partially within the cap, and arranged therein so that the jet direction line extends out the open end of the cap.

6. An amusement device comprising a hookshaped water conduit having a shank and a tip connected together by a bend portion, jet forming orifice means disposed at the tip of said conduit, a flexible hose, means attaching said hose to the shank end of said conduit so as to form a continuous water passage therethrough, a cup-shaped cap, and means attaching the bend portion of said conduit to the cap at its apex so that the cap encloses the conduit while permitting the jet to pass through the open end of the cap.

7. An amusement device according to claim 6 and in which the jet forming orifice means is disposed with respect to the shank so that the jet formed is inclined with respect to the shank at an angle of less than forty-five degrees.

8. An amusement device according to claim 7 and in which the jet formed by the jet forming orifice means and the shank lie in substantially the same plane.

9. An amusement device according to claim 7 and in which the jet formed by the jet forming orifice means is skewed with respect to the shank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,372 Fisher July 20, 1909 

1. A JET-PROPELLED TOY, COMPRISING: (A) A COUPLING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF OF FLUID UNDER PRESSURE, (B) AN ELONGATED HOSE CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE COUPLING FOR CARRYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE THEREFROM, (C) THE HOSE BEING MADE FROM A MATERIAL WHICH IS FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT TO LONGITUDINAL TWISTING THEREOF, (D) FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS JOINED TO THE OTHER END OF THE HOSE AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR THEREOF TO RECEIVE FLUID UNDER PRESSURE THEREFROM, THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS AND THE HOSE BEING NON-ROTATABLE WITH REFERENCE TO ONE ANOTHER WHEN JOINED, (E) THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS DEFINING AT LEAST ONE ORIFICE FOR DISCHARGING A JET OF THE FLUID AT A SUBSTANTIALLY HIGH VELOCITY, IN ORDER TO CREATE AN OPPOSITE RESULTANT FORCE FOR PROPELLING THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS ALONG A PATH OF MOVEMENT, (F) THE MOVEMENT OF THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS BEING TETHERED BY THE HOSE, (G) THE ORIFICE DEFINED BY THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS MEANS BEING ARRANGED TO DISCHARGE THE JET OF FLUID ALONG A JET DIRECTION LINE, THE JET DIRECTION LINE BEING NON-PARALLEL TO, AND NON-INTERSECTING WITH, A REFERENCE LINE DEFINED BY THE CENTER OF THE END OF THE HOSE ADJACENT THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS AND A PROJECTION OF THE CENTRAL AXIS OF THE ADJACENT PORTION OF THE HOSE WHEN SUCH ADJACENT PORTION OF THE HOSE IS STRAIGHT, (H) THE DIRECTION OF FLUID TRAVEL ALONG THE JET DIRECTION LINE BEING DOWNWARDLY WHEN THE REFERENCE LINE IS VERTICAL AND THE HOSE IS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS, SO THAT THE OPPOSITE RESULTANT FORCE WILL PROPEL THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS UPWARDLY, (I) A CAP CARRIED BY THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS, AND WHEREIN THE FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS COMPRISES: (J) AN ELONGATED RIGID TUBE, (K) THE ELONGATED RIGID TUBE HAVING A STRAIGHT PORTION CONNECTED TO THE FLEXIBLE TUBE AND DISPOSED ALONG THE REFERENCE LINE, (L) THE ELONGATED RIGID TUBE HAVING A CURVED PORTION JOINED TO THE STRAIGHT PORTION THEREOF AND DEFINING THE ORIFICE AT THE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM THE STRAIGHT PORTION FOR DISCHARGING A JET OF THE FLUID AT A SUBSTANTIALLY HIGH VELOCITY, (M) THE CURVED PORTION BEING SHAPED TO DIRECT THE JET OF FLUID ALONG A JET DIRECTION LINE WHICH IS NON-PARALLEL TO, AND ALSO DOES NOT INTERSECT, THE REFERENCE LINE. 